Navy Builds First New DDG 51 Flight III Destroyer in May

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Navy will start construction of its first next-generation, high-tech Flight III DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer in May of this year – as part of its broad service plan to deploy a new fleet of technically advanced warships able to fire new weapons, better
detect enemy attacks and prepare for a highly contested future maritime threat environment.

Speaking at the Surface Naval Association symposium recently, Capt. Casey Moton, Major Program Manager, DDG 51 Program Office, PEO Ships, said fabrication of the first Flight III Destroyer will begin at Huntington Ingalls in May of this year. Flight
III destroyer warships are slated to start entering service in the 2020s.

Moton emphasized the new, super-sensitive AN/SPY-6 radar as a distinguishing characteristic of Flight III destroyers, as it is expected to vastly expand the protective envelope for ship-integrated defenses.

“Fielding the AMDR will bring much improved ballistic missile defense by providing truly integrated simultaneous air and missile defense,” Moton said at SNA.

The Navy is now finalizing the detailed designed phase and finishing the 3D modeling needed to prepare for construction.
The Navy hopes to enter an efficient, cost-saving multi-year contract initiative to build the first 10 Flight III ships; the first two of the new class of destroyers are now under contract. Huntington Ingalls Industry is building one called DDG 125, and Bath Iron Works
is on contract to build DDG 126.

“Detailed designed is on track to support the start of construction with Flight III,” Moton said.